Ilhan Omar Funneled Millions in Taxpayer Funds to Clinic Run by Her Sister

A Minneapolis health clinic run by Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) sister received millions of dollars in taxpayer funding during the time the congresswoman served in both state and federal office, according to reports examining the funding history of the facility.

People’s Center Clinics & Services, located in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, received $2.2 million in state funding through Minnesota’s 2017 capital budget, a measure Omar publicly supported while serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Omar later helped secure an additional $1 million in congressionally directed federal funding for upgrades at the clinic while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

At the time those funds were approved, Omar’s older sister, Sahra Noor, was serving as the clinic’s chief executive officer.

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Sister Served as CEO During Omar’s Early Political Career

According to publicly available information, Noor served as CEO of People’s Center from July 2014 through April 2018.

That period overlapped with Omar’s first term in the Minnesota House, which began in January 2017.

People’s Center has received approximately $33 million in grants from the Department of Health and Human Services since 2002, according to funding records cited in reports.

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Among those funds were the two appropriations tied directly to Omar’s legislative efforts:

   • $2.2 million in the 2017 Minnesota capital budget

   • $1 million in congressionally directed federal funding secured during her time in Congress

   • Omar Highlighted Funding During Clinic Renovation

Omar appeared at a 2022 event celebrating renovations at the clinic, alongside Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Democrat Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and State Sen. Omar Fateh (D-MN).

In April 2024, the People’s Center publicly acknowledged Omar’s role in securing the $1 million federal appropriation, according to reporting by KTSA.

Omar Responds to Questions About Arrangement

When questions were raised about the connection between her legislative work and her sister’s leadership role at the clinic, Omar said neither she nor her family had a financial stake in the project.

“Neither I nor my immediate family has any financial interest in this project,” Omar claimed in April 2022.

Noor Later Left the Organization

After leaving her role as CEO in April 2018, Noor relocated to Africa, where she launched a healthcare consulting firm called Grit Partners in Kenya.

Her husband, Mohamed Keynan, also previously worked in the Minnesota government before returning to Africa.

Keynan later served as chief of staff to former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre and as a policy adviser to former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, commonly known as Farmaajo.

Questions Raised About Potential Conflicts

The funding arrangement has drawn renewed attention in recent reports examining the relationship between Omar’s legislative work and the clinic’s leadership at the time.

Directing public taxpayer funds toward an organization run by a close family member raises potential ethics concerns, even if no direct financial benefit is involved.

Omar has maintained that neither she nor her family members had any financial stake tied to the appropriations.

The issue has not resulted in any formal ethics charges against the congresswoman.

https://slaynews.com/news/ilhan-omar-funneled-millions-taxpayer-funds-clinic-run-sister/